TN moves to SC against dam across River Markandeya

Tamil Nadu has approached the Supreme Court seeking a restraint order against the Karnataka government from proceeding further with construction of dam across River Markandeya near Yargol village in Kolar district, which it claimed would obstruct the natural flows to the downstream.

Markandeya is a tributary of Pennaiyar river in Tamil Nadu. The application filed by Tamil Nadu claims that massive construction activities were being taken up by the instrumentalities of state of Karnataka in across River Markandeya. A visit by its officials on May 16 showed the material stacked for construction of the said dam across Pennaiyar river, which would deprive drinking water to the inhabitants and consequently affect the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, the state said.

On Friday, the application filed by Tamil Nadu was mentioned by G Umapathy before a bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. The court agreed to list the matter.

In its application, the Tamil Nadu government claimed, “The completion of the construction of the dam across River Markandeyanadhi with a height of 50m dam and length of of about 400m would completely impound the flows and would jeopardize the existing irrigation and drinking water needs of the state.”

It further contended the action by the Karnataka government was in clear violation of common law and natural right of the applicant state and its inhabitants, as pumping station works were also progressing.

It sought a direction to the Karnataka government from proceeding with the construction of check dam and diversion structure across the Pennaiyar river and its tributaries, and pumping water from them to the existing tanks in the basin.